Barley Risotto... with extra fiber.

Anyone who knows me, even just a little, knows that I am somewhat obsessed with my fiber intake. Just slightly. So, I basically try to adjust recipes so that the fiber content is increased. In this particular case, this is a Martha Stewart recipe for risotto, which I adjusted to my fiber-licious standards -- barley instead of rice, edamame instead of peas. And believe me, it is dense, filling, full of fiber, and quite delicious!

This first step is crucial: you MUST soak the barley for at least 4-6 hours before making this risotto. Trust me on this one! So, I measured out 1 cup of dry barley and covered it with water. I let it sit in the fridge until I was ready to cook dinner later that day.



You will find that the barley expands quite a bit, so make sure to add enough water, and leave room for that to happen in the container. Next, I chopped up a few white onions, a couple cloves of garlic, and sliced up some cremini mushrooms. I sauteed those in some olive oil in a large pan for several minutes, until the onions got translucent and the mushrooms softened.


I then drained the water off the barley, and added the barley to the pan. Then I sauteed for maybe 2 or 3 minutes.


Then, I started adding some warmed chicken broth (maybe about 6 cups total), but only about 1/2 cup at a time. This is the part where your arms will get ripped from the constant stirring.


(Yes, I don't own a ladle. Yes, I'm using a teacup.) I stirred until the 1/2 cup of chicken stock was absorbed, then added another 1/2 cup, then stirred until it absorbed, etc. This continued for about 30 minutes, until the barley expanded and became soft. Once all the chicken stock was all added, I then added some frozen edamame and frozen shrimp.



I then squeezed in the juice of about half a lemon. This adds a freshness and tartness to the dish. Ooooh, it's starting to come together....


Next, I grated in some parmagiano reggiano cheese (MY FAVE, I could take a bite right out of the wedge). This adds some necessary saltiness and creaminess.



Obviously, add salt and pepper to taste. Once I mixed in the cheese and it melted, my delicious fiberful creation was complete! I make this dish pretty regularly (haha, bowel-related pun intended!!), and I always enjoy having leftovers. As you can see, 1 cup of dry barley makes a crap ton of risotto (again, the pun! I can't help myself). If you want, you can add just a little more chicken stock to make sure it stays nice and creamy when you re-heat it in the microwave. I usually make this at the start of the week, and put the rest in individual plastic containers. That way, I have lunch/dinners ready to go for the rest of the week!